tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15279219297310058122024-03-16T12:38:47.809+05:30So long and thanks for all the fish!Thoughts and ramblings of a hungry expatHungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-35840451066839496952016-01-06T14:53:00.000+05:302016-01-06T19:49:30.880+05:30Another year gone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">To ensure I don't conveniently forget my new year's resolutions I am posting them here so everyone can harass me. I have three major resolutions for the year and some smaller ideas of things I would like to accomplish as well. Feel free to comment or PM me to keep me accountable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Resolutions:</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I find myself writing less and less these days, even though writing for fun is one of the few creative outlets I Have left. I used to be so crafty, making Christmas ornaments, jewelry, handmade cards, mosiacs, etc. It's hard though, when you're living as an expat, to cart those type of things around or find them where you are living. Therefore, I will write more either here (<span style="font-family: inherit;">unlikely</span>) or on my <a href="http://goo.gl/CI0ffA" target="_blank">foodie blog</a> (much more likely). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I will learn more Hindi. I would like to become conversational or at least understand a little bit and be able to communicate with the housegirl/drivers. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I will expand my consulting. While I have consistently consulted for World Vision and do some part time work for a school, I would like to do more remote consulting work and will continuously seek out new potential clients. </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Wishful thinking: </b></span></div>
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<li>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Cook more and blog about it. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Plant my kitchen garden. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Make an effort to meet new people. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Grow my social media presence (consulting Facebook page and personal Instagram) as part of my personal brand. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Keep in better touch with good friends.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Exercise more patience and be more mindful. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Explore. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Remind myself of what I have to offer and stop selling myself short. </span></li>
</ul>
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Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com3Gurgaon, Haryana, India28.4594965 77.02663830000005928.236067 76.703914800000064 28.682926000000002 77.349361800000054tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-6110325370014786682015-02-06T19:00:00.000+05:302016-01-06T15:02:26.459+05:3099 Things<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I found this list that I started drafting in August 2012 but never published; it's a grander version of my "Things to Do" lists (<a href="http://pinky778.blogspot.in/2012/01/another-year-another-list.html" target="_blank">2012</a>, <a href="http://pinky778.blogspot.in/2011/01/life-is-what-you-make-it.html" target="_blank">2011</a>, <a href="http://pinky778.blogspot.in/2010/01/list.html" target="_blank">2010</a>). Here it is, in its current iteration, with a few updates (and a few more things checked off since it's creation). Suggestions for places to see, things to do, or goals to accomplish to complete the list are welcome. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAlL2-brCR-5R02PIKUE6Wuc2zx9TOFiujKL2xx8bGBh303QpV68Aaeu5kTg2zlHghLEZRJAKGD3Xy0oWdGtr62hU-tnZ_ORTYruwHwPk_W6-ep602itF95_ZFfR26QMUtWWI7k2Qbgi0/s1600/live-your-list-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAlL2-brCR-5R02PIKUE6Wuc2zx9TOFiujKL2xx8bGBh303QpV68Aaeu5kTg2zlHghLEZRJAKGD3Xy0oWdGtr62hU-tnZ_ORTYruwHwPk_W6-ep602itF95_ZFfR26QMUtWWI7k2Qbgi0/s1600/live-your-list-web.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ryaneller.com/bucketlist/281-awesome-bucket-list-items-you-should-add-to-your-list/" target="_blank">Photo credit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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1. Travel to all seven continents: <strike>North America</strike>, <strike>South America</strike>, <strike>Asia</strike>, <strike>Australia</strike>, Antarctica, <strike>Europe</strike>, <strike>Africa</strike>; 2. Get over my fear of heights and take a hot air balloon ride; 3. <strike>Live in and explore a new country:</strike> <strike>France, Kenya, Tanzania, India</strike>; 4. Wear a giant hat at the Derby; 5. Party in a sunflower field in Tuscany; 6. Cruise the Greek isles; 7. Explore Turkey; 8. Get published; 9. <strike>Converse in a foreign language</strike>; 10. <strike>Stand inside the Taj Mahal, Agra</strike>; 11. Wander the halls of Musee d'Orsay, Paris; 12. Walk in Papa's footsteps at Dachau; 13. Attend TED; 14. Complete a photo series; 15. Keep it classy on Bourbon Street, New Orleans; 16. See the <a href="http://sevennaturalwonders.org/" target="_blank">7 Natural Wonders of the World</a>: Grand Canyon, <strike>Great Barrier Reef</strike>, Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, Mount Everest, Aurora Borealis, Paricutin volcano, <strike>Victoria Falls</strike>; 17. Stand atop Niagara Falls; 18. Scuba dive; 19. Shop the great fashion hotspots of the world: Rodeo Drive, Milan, <strike>Champs Elysees</strike>, <strike>Ginza</strike>; 20. Leave a legacy; 21. <strike>Buy a car</strike>; 22. <strike>Explore more than the South Africa airport</strike>; 23. Pet a live cheetah; 24. Ride an ostrich; 25. <strike>Veg on the beach in Zanzibar</strike><br />
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<a name='more'></a>26. Track mountain gorillas; 27. Cruise the Nile; 28. Swim in the Red Sea; 29. Climb the pyramids in Sudan; 30. Make a historical discovery; 31. <strike>Move to the donor side of giving</strike>; 32. Zip line through the rainforest; 33. Horseback ride along the beach; 34. Run a 10k; 35. Take surfing lessons; 36. Conduct an orchestra; 37. Learn to belly dance; 38. Ride in a helicopter; 39. Watch the running of the bulls in Pamplona; 40. Attend the Fringe art festival, Edinburgh; 41. Chug a beer at Oktoberfest, Munich; 42. Learn how to cook five specialty meals well (<strike>enchiladas</strike>, <strike>fajitas</strike>, <strike>chicken cream chipotle</strike>....); 43. Tour wine countries: Loire Valley, Tuscany, Napa Valley, <strike>Virginia (apparently)</strike>, <strike>Cape Town</strike>, Chile, Champagne; 45. Public speak with no fear; 46. <strike>Swim with the dolphins</strike>; 47. <strike>Fly first class</strike>; 48. Shop for fish at Pike Place Fish Market, Seattle; 49. Invest in someone's future; 50. Study more of the worlds' religions: <strike>Christianity</strike>, Islam, Judaism, <strike>Hinduism</strike>, Buddhism, Bahai, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, <strike>Aboriginal Shamanism</strike>, Paganism, Animism, Rastafari, <strike>ancient Egyptian polytheism</strike><br />
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51. Study Christianity: <strike>birth of the religion</strike>, Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox/Coptic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopalian, Mormon, Pentecostal, Unitarian, Seventh Day Adventists, Quakerism, Mennonite, Jehovah's Witnesses, <strike>Non-denominational</strike>, Church of Christ, Christian Scientist; 52. Take a girls trip somewhere exotic; 53. Visit 50 countries; 54. Create an annual event; 55. Make a difference in someone's life; 56. Preserve the family history/stories; 57. Commit a random act of kindness; 58. Write/blog with more frequency; 59. Study foreign policy; 60. Learn calligraphy; 61. Fly on a trapeze; 62. <strike>Raft the Ganges</strike>; 63. Attend a red carpet event; 64. Visit friends around the world; 65. Play a round of golf; 66. Invest in a vacation home; 67. Ski without causing seriously bodily harm; 68. <strike>Parasail</strike>; 69. Reconnect with an old friend; 70. Surprise somebody; 71. Be a mentor; 72. <strike>Strike out on my own</strike>; 73. Jump into new things with no fear; 74. <strike>Talk to strangers</strike>; 75. Wake up early to see a spectacular sunrise<br />
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76. Further my education; 77. Win a game of luck; 78. <strike>Take a spontaneous trip</strike>; 79. Win an award for an accomplishment; 80. Inspire someone; 81. Stop stressing about the small things; 82. Visit the Wailing Wall, Jerusalem; 83. Dine at a Michelin starred restaurant; 84. Pay respect to the genocide victims at the Killing Fields; 85. Get away from it all in Bali; 86. Hike Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico; 87. Film a YouTube video; 88. Vacay in Vietnam; 89. Learn professional photography camera techniques; 90. Drive a motorcycle; 91. Complete a wine tasting course; 92. <br />
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100. Go out in style</div>
Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-24505243414291502652015-02-05T16:48:00.000+05:302015-02-06T10:48:40.709+05:30Radio Silence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So much for last year's resolution to use my free time to post updates. I brainstormed and even drafted I don't know how many posts that never saw the light of day. I was just feeling a bit uninspired it seems. So, no promises for this year, but let's see what happens. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Like I mentioned in my last post I resigned my position at RSC in Jan 2014 in order to take a little break and return to my roots, helping small businesses and nonprofits through resource development, communications, and strategic planning. I relaunched my company, <a href="http://www.makusudiconsulting.com/" target="_blank">Makusudi Consulting</a>, (as some of you know, I worked as a consultant in 2010 after leaving another position in the region and continued with short-term contracts before joining RSC) and returned to work as a full-time freelance consultant. I've enjoyed setting my own schedule and choosing projects that complement my talents. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The foundation I mentioned in my previous post finally came to fruition. A few of my friends had been discussing how, as expats, we would like to give back to our host community; but they did not feel as though they had the understanding of how to go about it in a responsible way to ensure the money actually benefited the organization rather than corruption. With my background in grant writing, fund compliance & reporting, and the nonprofit world it was on me to make this conversation a reality. I have always dreamed of working at a foundation and being the person who gets to give out the money instead of always asking for it so I jumped at the chance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We decided on the name <a href="http://www.jumuiafoundation.org/" target="_blank">Jumuia Foundation</a>, a Kiswahili word meaning community, as a nod to the East African community that we had come to call home. It not only represents the communal support we receive from donors, but also the communities our partner NGOs work within. Our objectives include: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1) being a resource to individuals, expats specifically, interested in donating money to charitable organizations within their host community, without a means to ensure their donations are being properly utilized</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2) providing grants to established NGOs that work with refugees, youth, widows, orphans, disabled, and impoverished (just about everyone) communities in sub-Saharan Africa and the Asian sub-continent</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3) encouraging established NGOs to scale up proven, sustainable, capacity-building programming in the fields of poverty alleviation and education</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4) encouraging established NGOs to start up programming promoting human rights.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We decided that we wanted to focus on working with established NGOs rather than start-ups since, in my experience, there are many similar organizations providing the same services and programming that could be more productive if they just joined forces rather than splitting the available resources. We would rather help existing groups scale up their successful programs and become sustainable so they are less dependent on donor support in the future. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I spent much of my time from March-June meeting with industry leaders for guidance, researching and creating a slew of governance and policy documents, recruiting board members, and seeking feedback from legal advisers. On 13 June we filed a Certificate of Foundation with the Texas Secretary of State and gained recognition as a nonprofit corporation. We quickly received several concept notes from regional nonprofits based in Kenya and on 31 October we awarded our first grant! This has truly been a labor of love, but one of which I am most proud to be a part. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Most importantly, these changes allowed me the freedom to travel for pleasure again. I visited India for the first time in February 2014 and saw the Taj Mahal, the Pink City, and so many museums and sites around Delhi. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit79CcC3DFZ5drYIt3Nkr0wm2_Pf5I0h6YTp4xPetUCnA50eQ3NPrqlbyf6qjAkC-jwaghTvZ06mJDM8vQImXbrK7hsX1f21mdwefXngvlcRZQ7CoRBtlG_5In7h-Qbie6nIRT4_DKmP7C/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit79CcC3DFZ5drYIt3Nkr0wm2_Pf5I0h6YTp4xPetUCnA50eQ3NPrqlbyf6qjAkC-jwaghTvZ06mJDM8vQImXbrK7hsX1f21mdwefXngvlcRZQ7CoRBtlG_5In7h-Qbie6nIRT4_DKmP7C/s1600/2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In March I was able to go home for my Papa's 90th birthday and visit family and friends. April through September was spent hanging around Kenya with friends and being touristy. I did take a few short trips to Lamu, Navaisha, Elementaita, and Ole Pejeta in Kenya and Arusha and Zanzibar in Tanzania. I also celebrated my birthday in true Greek decadence and celebrated a friend's wedding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6TXenvViR7vguvLuGpMCyjxTdV28iFe5_7pFjpBZDoTztupuAwt50pQhEFwanAGO0ABCmMUVYKZ0UzgnvcRvsi2Q7-14KEiWeQzjl9mWBlBm2GpzoGK22BI34jax3AkOpBL9IZpbKiBr/s1600/3-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6TXenvViR7vguvLuGpMCyjxTdV28iFe5_7pFjpBZDoTztupuAwt50pQhEFwanAGO0ABCmMUVYKZ0UzgnvcRvsi2Q7-14KEiWeQzjl9mWBlBm2GpzoGK22BI34jax3AkOpBL9IZpbKiBr/s1600/3-9.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In October I moved to Gurgaon, Haryana, India, just outside of Delhi. I needed a small break from the insanity that is life in Nairobi and this opportunity was just the thing to do it. During my time here, I've visited Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh and celebrated numerous festivals, including Diwali, and vacationed in Dubai, UAE. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS8l7FEgjo7nQpRgh0ztdgRU1zNFjwWslcfPDFP47y0Uc-1WOT16WClt54HQ_GC7mKVk6_LEH89izhQVys6HwZVlpKu1QUQmeJvtnayyfGAEnQIp9EfhxrlETIwgdZ_dXdpK1I6bQsVyK/s1600/9-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS8l7FEgjo7nQpRgh0ztdgRU1zNFjwWslcfPDFP47y0Uc-1WOT16WClt54HQ_GC7mKVk6_LEH89izhQVys6HwZVlpKu1QUQmeJvtnayyfGAEnQIp9EfhxrlETIwgdZ_dXdpK1I6bQsVyK/s1600/9-12.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So, dear readers, that was my year. Let's see where the new year takes us! </span></div>
Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com2Gurgaon, Haryana, India28.4594965 77.02663830000005928.236067 76.703914800000064 28.682926000000002 77.349361800000054tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-32723961228532103872014-01-29T15:56:00.001+05:302014-01-29T16:17:35.662+05:30New Beginnings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This blog is really all about new beginnings and the reason I started it in the first place. I know I've been terrible at posting and keeping people up to date with the day in and day out goings on in my life but those things get mundane and it's hard to be creative and want to write after 8-12 hours of recording refugee torture testimonies. But I'll attempt to be better this year now that I have a bit more free time on my hands since I left my role at RSC. "WHAT?!," you say? Here's a brief overview of what you've missed:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>2013</b><br />
<b>Jan-Mar:</b><br />
Travelled to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda for work<br />
Survived Kenyan elections<br />
<b>Apr- Jun: </b><br />
Eastered in Samburu <br />
Spent a month in South Africa for work (toured my first winery(ies) in Cape Town!)<br />
Ren (or is it Stimpy?) had an adorable baby girl <br />
R&R'd by touring a Kenyan tea farm, visiting friends in Tanzania, and making an impromptu late night drive to Amboseli<br />
Travelled to Mozambique for work<br />
Turned around and went home to Dallas for a few weeks<br />
<b>Jul-Sep:</b><br />
Celebrated my birthday in style<br />
Went back to Rwanda for work<br />
Made the most of my couple of weeks in Nairobi with Zappy Hours and a weekend trip to Naro Moru<br />
Went back to the Kak(uma) for work<br />
Survived Westgate scarred but unscathed<br />
<b>Oct-Dec: </b><br />
R&R'd in Mauritius<br />
Celebrated EVERYone's engagement (I mean seriously, 9 people popped the question in a matter of weeks) <br />
Sent Jon back to the States in true Sijui Safari style<br />
Went back to South Africa for a month for work (and squeezed in a shark diving excursion)<br />
Celebrated Thanksgiving, Jana & Elliot's wedding, and Anil's birthday in Tanzania <br />
Travelled to Dallas for the holidays<br />
Ren and Stimpy were reunited at Christmas in Florida <br />
Got back to Nairobi just in time to ring in the New Year at home with Anil<br />
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So what's next? Well, after a crazy year of back to back work trips to eight countries with little downtime, I decided to call it quits. My last day at RSC was last week and while I know I'll miss my colleagues and interacting with the refugees, my mind and body need a rest. I plan on doing some consulting and setting up a foundation (more to come on that later!) with my free time and, most importantly, travelling for pleasure. </div>
Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.5460579 36.499222699999955 -1.0380739 37.144669699999959tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-67836785629358629902013-06-20T14:28:00.000+05:302016-01-06T15:31:10.608+05:30World Refugee Day 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Today
is World Refugee Day. </span></span></div>
<div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">According to a new <a href="http://www.unhcr.org/51c071816.html" target="_blank">UNHCR report</a>, the average number of forcibly displaced people is at an 18 year high and, as of the end of 2012, 45.2 million people are displaced. </span></span>"This includes 15.4 million refugees, 937,000 asylum seekers, and 28.8
million people forced to flee within the borders of their own countries." </div>
<div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Please take a moment to appreciate the
freedoms we typically take for granted: the freedom of speech, the right to
vote for your chosen political representative without fear of
retaliation, the ability to move freely, the right to practice your
religion as you understand it, and the privilege to live without fear
that you may be targeted and harmed solely because of an inherent trait
(your gender, sexual preference, or ethnicity).</span></span></div>
<div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com0Dallas, TX, USA32.7801399 -96.80045109999997532.3531349 -97.44589809999998 33.2071449 -96.155004099999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-71918402688869403212012-11-12T02:39:00.000+05:302016-01-06T19:51:51.406+05:30Overdue: Pics from Nairobi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Life isn't always glamorous as an expat, but it's not all being stuck in the field wishing for home either. Here's some pics from June - early October (the longest amount of time I've been in the country since I took my current job) when I was working in the office or seconded to UNHCR Nairobi. I traveled with friends, I blogged a few times, I cooked some, but mostly I watched trashy reality shows on E! while writing refugees' persecution histories, explaining why they should be recommended for resettlement. The fact I only have so few to share also tells me I need to be taking more photographic evidence of my life in Nairobi. Here's some I did manage to snap along the way:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTianIBQntj_oXB7vy7olJRWzgSlPuJETgvKlBpdSDzr-RseGv4kpUUvgc469yZYAZUaoDTypF72X2Jr479dKIaTlNFmfO8shaE2ZNaxXmNTtFLUhho6SvHiogNj0aSzafIvG-d9C1ulM/s1600/Hells+Gate+22+June+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTianIBQntj_oXB7vy7olJRWzgSlPuJETgvKlBpdSDzr-RseGv4kpUUvgc469yZYAZUaoDTypF72X2Jr479dKIaTlNFmfO8shaE2ZNaxXmNTtFLUhho6SvHiogNj0aSzafIvG-d9C1ulM/s320/Hells+Gate+22+June+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6.22.12 Hell's Gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6.23.12 Boat cruise on Navaisha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_x1lM7MzR9bJQT2VaHvaRHyUttNZDaefgUpEq7fXtzX5_p9ctU1Jhnbt4ulyDjkYDe3J0IPQagi2ugumOQ08kh3KGvNBPv1lxiGxzc_uPoGbJgW08v-MAL18VrSccP8qfuuhEVx0BfUB/s1600/BD+7+July+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_x1lM7MzR9bJQT2VaHvaRHyUttNZDaefgUpEq7fXtzX5_p9ctU1Jhnbt4ulyDjkYDe3J0IPQagi2ugumOQ08kh3KGvNBPv1lxiGxzc_uPoGbJgW08v-MAL18VrSccP8qfuuhEVx0BfUB/s1600/BD+7+July+2012.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7.7.12 Celebrating 32</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRU7NAuocCH_qC9GshhyphenhyphenRQ4UElBlDAzeCbppNo_x62GWm3v1LNbSbHBBcLyUsh7XcSd1ccxIQfMJAmVbhcdz_tYTLWe2SybpStAUFzwL1AjTtfUV60CCFCU3Mdk0GUbBU22QjLNjrsMoK/s1600/P1030081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRU7NAuocCH_qC9GshhyphenhyphenRQ4UElBlDAzeCbppNo_x62GWm3v1LNbSbHBBcLyUsh7XcSd1ccxIQfMJAmVbhcdz_tYTLWe2SybpStAUFzwL1AjTtfUV60CCFCU3Mdk0GUbBU22QjLNjrsMoK/s320/P1030081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8.4.12 Drive to Castle Forest Lodge- my camera battery died upon arrival so this is all I got...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGa8aC0vCXVAHfuFkyR5LMEF9g8y4AL0gUSAvYoLxtirK22ccmamY2NqXB8l7bYsozmvY-2o0dM7FIgfLJR28d694OlMMzVQva9icb2unE1Ni22wMpSiUfl9-Iw2mv9SRkbhyldJ7CLABX/s1600/P1030098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGa8aC0vCXVAHfuFkyR5LMEF9g8y4AL0gUSAvYoLxtirK22ccmamY2NqXB8l7bYsozmvY-2o0dM7FIgfLJR28d694OlMMzVQva9icb2unE1Ni22wMpSiUfl9-Iw2mv9SRkbhyldJ7CLABX/s320/P1030098.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9.8.12 UNHCR colleague's wedding</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTrv9oghq3TAIj5c6qHqo2XxWGwvmT-s6Gd1cs0CyIZbTMJhYDza7hgONsLGr6qMHzewyMWUY_9ymGidMP7lOeYEro2QYg_-a1uisLCup35zg0FejAjSp1UHFNNmR_U_a_PN0f7aqKw0S/s1600/P1030099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTrv9oghq3TAIj5c6qHqo2XxWGwvmT-s6Gd1cs0CyIZbTMJhYDza7hgONsLGr6qMHzewyMWUY_9ymGidMP7lOeYEro2QYg_-a1uisLCup35zg0FejAjSp1UHFNNmR_U_a_PN0f7aqKw0S/s320/P1030099.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9.16.12 Hosted an Amani ya Juu fundraiser</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXdKMZ6_4URjF_lD4P8Mnz7dxAhb9gTHDcKmsCg7tTCFkKYmVpGHU1Iw_vA7PYvkZLhNHo28hUCeuoCfhoVIv6_XxJl1Xh46Bu3AN7EfBpOjUlfdtTmtyk-koc1O-NZvMz-8XKmAYmSN4/s1600/P1030118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXdKMZ6_4URjF_lD4P8Mnz7dxAhb9gTHDcKmsCg7tTCFkKYmVpGHU1Iw_vA7PYvkZLhNHo28hUCeuoCfhoVIv6_XxJl1Xh46Bu3AN7EfBpOjUlfdtTmtyk-koc1O-NZvMz-8XKmAYmSN4/s320/P1030118.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10.6.12 Lounged at the country club</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhcBHAcD4hbOvJKdinwrh5JnXYmoVAeY4IxgbXy6ReTlQtslMvNzhw96cjdKdPcoHO7L1uwdxitIGMlmSXRq90bxvz35AE1H-iHYL-Xr7w3Ew_C_LufvE9Do_0jiALiNjmgHV-KGgQqJ0/s1600/P1030163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhcBHAcD4hbOvJKdinwrh5JnXYmoVAeY4IxgbXy6ReTlQtslMvNzhw96cjdKdPcoHO7L1uwdxitIGMlmSXRq90bxvz35AE1H-iHYL-Xr7w3Ew_C_LufvE9Do_0jiALiNjmgHV-KGgQqJ0/s320/P1030163.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10.13.12 R&R in Diani</td></tr>
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Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.8219462-1.5460594 36.5060892 -1.0380724000000001 37.1378032tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-51537606440788383702012-11-12T01:11:00.000+05:302015-02-10T13:55:12.595+05:30I survived Tchad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So I'm aware that I've been very lame about posting for the last month since I went off secondment and began traveling again. (For the record I did blog a restaurant review on my other blog <a href="http://nairobinightlife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">African Nights</a> so I wasn't a complete slacker.) My first trip post-Nairobi secondment was to Tchad. Yes, that is a real country. It's landlocked between Sudan, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Central African Republic. They host refugees from both Sudan and CAR. <br />
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It was one of the more... <strike>hairpulling</strike> <strike>headbanging</strike> trying countries I've traveled. In addition to processing from the middle of nowhere, southern Tchad the accommodations were...rustic. The generator only worked some of the time and when it did it was only scheduled during office hours and 2 hours in the evening; meaning we had to get ready for work in the dark and sit and sweat after work in the dark.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You thought I was joking about the whole no electricity thing.</td></tr>
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It was about 100F daily (approximately 39-40 for you Celsius people) and we worked from a large concrete room with no fans (except the one we were forced to buy to cool our server). So we sweat and we interviewed. I actually really like my job, but, I'm not going to lie, this was a difficult refugee population and I felt like I was constantly frustrated and impatient because of the circumstances as well as feeling sick most of the trip (Harvey returned with a vengence. I was later diagnosed with "mild" salmonella typhoid, a bacterial infection, and worms.). <br />
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There were highlights: 1) the first two days and the final day of our trip were spent in the capital N'Djamena where we had electricity, internet, and aircon; 2) I did not get malaria like several of my colleagues despite being eaten alive by mosquitoes; 3) I didn't die of carbon monoxide poisoning from my kerosene lamp; 4) I can now say I have been part of an armed convey; 5) we finished processing early and got to return to Nairobi 3 days before expected; and 6) we were not killed in a horrific road accident (it's apparently a leading cause of death in the country and after two 9-12 hour road trips I understand the high fatality rate).<br />
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This said I am anticipating my trip back to the States to celebrate Thanksgiving next week and time to reflect on what it is I am doing with my life. Is liking what I do enough? I'm not going to let one difficult mission get me down but after coming off a rewarding but taxing secondment I am also not sure what it is I want going forward. Should I return to my former career of fundraising/ donor relations? I'm not a huge fan of concept of "fundraising" in African countries since it usually encourages a dependence on western donor countries rather than looking for ways to cultivate donors locally. I'm also not necessarily looking to return to the US but am open to working in other developing regions outside of Kenya. Is there a way to incorporate my past work experience with my desire to be more immersed in the human rights field? Thoughts? Suggestions?</div>
Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Gore, Chad7.9255556 16.63444447.9098286 16.6147034 7.9412826 16.6541854tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-16882745705452228782012-09-15T20:05:00.001+05:302012-09-15T20:08:36.542+05:30Now for something a little more...creamy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Satay/Detail.aspx" target="_blank">Chicken satay</a>! The first of the appetizers I am creating for a small get-together I'm hostessing tomorrow.<br />
<br />
2 tbsp peanut butter (in the comments section it suggests a couple of extra tbsp in order to get a more "authentic" taste)<br />
1/2 c soy sauce<br />
1/2 c lemon or lime juice<br />
1 tbsp brown sugar<br />
2 tbsp curry powder<br />
2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1 tsp hot pepper sauce<br />
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves- cubed<br />
<br />
Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, curry powder, garlic, and hot pepper sauce in a mixing bowl.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Still no measuring devices (hopefully some nice ones will be arriving via airmail soon, hint, hint), am using a Jack Daniels whiskey glass to measure my cups and the big spoons and small spoons to estimate tsp vs tbsp. Yet somehow there is not 1 but 2, count them, 2 lemon juicers. Interesting priorities.<br />
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Ideally this would mean that someone (ahem, Curry Delight) could be down here helping me juice lemons, however, he is otherwise preoccupied with some Hindi film at the moment. How many lemons does it take to make 1/2 a cup of juice...we will soon find out! You know what I REALLY wish I had right now? One of those little plastic lemon shaped containers full of pre-squeezed lemon juice. Oh, the luxury of it all. Damn fresh ingredients. Ok, so I wouldn't say 2 lemons makes half a cup but at this point I'm going to say close enough and add more later if need be. How did people make fresh made lemonade like this back in the day?!<br />
<br />
Seriously, how is there NO curry powder?! Isn't every powder a curry powder if it can go in curry? Someone is now assisting. The marinade tastes nice. The chicken is defrosting. Once it's done I'll stick it in to marinate overnight.<br />
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For tomorrow:<br />
Preheat a grill to high heat<br />
Weave the chicken onto skewers (we'll be improvising with chopsticks), then grill for 5 minutes on each side.<br />
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<a href="http://www.shrimpcocktailsauce.com/classic-shrimp-cocktail-sauce-recipe.html" target="_blank">Shrimp cocktail sauce</a>! Appetizer #2:<br />
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1 c Heinz Tomato Ketchup<br />
1/2 tsp McCormick Light Chili Powder (supposedly there is a *ton* of chili pepper...hopefully more than the amount of curry powder lying around)<br />
1 dash of McCormick Ground Cayenne Pepper (is this a McCormick ad?)<br />
1 tsp of Vita Prepared Horseradish<br />
2 tsp of fresh squeezed lemon juice (argh...really?)<br />
1 large minced garlic clove <br />
<br />
Mix the ketchup, chili powder, cayenne pepper, horseradish, lemon juice, and minced garlic clove. Mix until smooth. Chill.<br />
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Sounds simple enough. And I have a mojito in hand. This should go well.<br />
<br />
I'm not really sure what "vita prepared horseradish" is; I will be substituting Duerr's creamed horseradish sauce "a family business since 1881". Sounds legit. Lemon juice, check. Two tsps is so much better than 1/2 c. About a quarter of a lemon.<br />
<br />
I like garlic. I'm going to put 2 cloves. My co-chef, Johanna, agrees, she likes garlic too. And as we're the ones eating this tomorrow I think what we say goes. So we've mixed and we both agree it needs... something. We've added a dash and a half of hot pepper sauce and we've dumped more horseradish in and sprinkled some salt. Our taste buds might be deadened from the sips of mojito but we declare it good. <br />
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Upcoming features include me cooking prawns, making my mom's famous deviled egg recipe, 7 layer dip (with homemade salsa), apple and cheese bruschetta, guacamole, and Ghiradelli triple chocolate double layer chocolate frosted brownies. Heineken is on tap and the white wine is chilled. Let the cooking adventures continue!</div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-67469834310653972902012-09-15T13:15:00.001+05:302012-09-15T13:16:05.415+05:30"There's a little too much hate going on in my feed right now"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">And this is why I don't live in Texas anymore:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Facebook feed 1: representing the hillbilly section of the population. Keep in mind this man is a police detective. He is college educated and technically not an idiot.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Former FB Friend's status update henceforth dubbed "Jethro": "Simple way to end these rock throwing sheep herders from attacking our Embassy's. You breach the walls? You die! You throw a rock? You get a bullet! You kill 4 US citizens? We kill 1,000 of you!"</span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">Peanut Gallery: "Only 1,000? Surely we could get a few more! :)"</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Me: "Um, that's how this started in the first place. I don't condone the terrible things a few extremists have done but people need to realize that we live in a global community and fre</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">e speech isn't a global right. Didn't anyone think that this might happen with the release of a hate-filled diatribe of anti-Islam rhetoric after seeing the attacks over a comic strip about Mohamed? Why can't people respect other people's faith? Why aren't we holding the people who created the movie responsible? A few people acting out, though be it in an extreme terrible manner, doesn't represent all of the Arab world. There are peaceful protests going on as well. And Libyans that are protesting the deaths of the Americans and standing up against the atrocities their fellow countrymen committed. Why kill 1000 innocent people for a few extremists' actions?"</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">And it goes downhill quickly from there: </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">Peanut Gallery: "Jethro for President, great ideas and change"</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[1]"> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">Voice of reason related to Jethro: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that."</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Jethro: "No one in this country and especially in any other countries can restrict our freedom of speech. They may live in that kind of society but we do not have too! How many people did</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]"> Christians kill when an artist displayed a crucifix in urine? How many Brits did we kill when Monty Python's Life of Bryan was playing? Zero! I say cut off all aid to them all, bring our troops home and let them have the sand box! I pray for the day we don't need their fucking oil so they all can go back to their mud huts and goats."</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Jethro: "The world needs to fear us again! Reagan had Libya bombed after Lockerbie, killing one of Gaddafi's young daughters. He got the message and was subdued for 25 years! </span><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[3]">And why h</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">ave we not had a major terrorist attack? They are all too busy hiding and looking in their rearview for a drone attack! I'm tired of apologist for our actions! Cut them all off, let them eat sand and drink oil!"</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Me: "They're not restricting our freedom of speech. I'm saying people...should be respectful. The producers of this 'movie' knew exactly what kind of reaction t</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">his movie was going to get and did it for their own purpose. And as I said, it's not ok to kill people to prove a point, but then again it's not ok to go kill innocent civilians to prove that America is bigger and stronger either. You can't even imagine the things (the Libyans) have lived through."</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jethro<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405227}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405227}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405227}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">: "Oh how naive some of you are with your World view thoughts. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things"</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405786}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405786}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405786}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">Peanut Gallery: "Amen Jethro! Nothing we say or do is going to make them stop hating us. The movie is just an excuse that is made worse by Americans who support the theory that our actions caused this. F' em"</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">Me: "Why don't you go live outside of the Texas bubble and get to know some people in the real world then tell me I'm being childish. I interview refugees all day every day that are displaced by this violence you are promoting. It's childish to think that your 'kill em all' attitude doesn't affect normal everyday people like yourself on this side of the world."</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">And then I defriended him.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">Facebook feed 2: from the slightly more educated population. This guy went to high school and college with me and got his JD at the same university I got my masters. We'll call him "Buck". </span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent">Buck: "The irony of the protests over this anti-islam movie is that every news article that refers to it references it as obscure, which is rapidly becoming innacurate thanks to the protests. This makes me question the subtext: are these really just stupid people who do not understand the nature of freedom of speech in America, is this a pretext for lashing out against America for other reasons, or is this something more ominous like a coordinated plot to reinvigorate anti-American sentiment around the anniversary of 9/11? Thoughts?"</span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949571}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949571}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949571}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949571}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Me: "Just because there is freedom of speech in America doesn't mean that people shouldn't respect others religions. We are a global community and people should think about how their a</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949571}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949571}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949571}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">ctions affect the rest of the world. I don't think it's fair to call the people stupid for being offended or for protesting something that was clearly meant to incite them. I'm not condoning the few extremists actions but it's not fair to let the moviemakers off the hook either. And since I'm not in America I can't say for sure, but I'm wouldn't be surprised if the peaceful protests were not getting the same news time as the deaths in Libya and I'm sure the fact that many Libyans protested the actions of the extremists in their country is not being widely acknowledged. We need to stop painting people with a wide brush. Not everyone is out to get America."</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949801}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949801}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949801}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949801}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]"> Buck: "@Me long time no see. While I agree that it is doubtful the peaceful protests are getting as much coverage as the violent ones, there have been stories about the Libyan counte</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949801}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949801}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949801}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">r protests with some very moving photos. Those protests stand a much better chance of influencing people and affecting some change. However, if these protests are really just about being offended by this obscure movie, whether they are peaceful or not they are still a stupid response. Most people would never have known about this movie if it were it not for the free advertising these protests are giving it, meaning they are doing more harm than good. Therefore, stupid is an appropriate term. If you want to start a war with America, burning the flag, shooting at marines, and sacking embassies on the anniversary of 9/11 is a good way to do it."</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949815}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949815}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949815}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]">Buck's friend: "It's on youtube now, it's pretty low-quality production value, nothing I'd want to kill anybody over."</span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949833}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949833}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949833}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949833}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Buck: "(I didn't finish my thought). The reaction is so counter-productive, I feel like there is something else behind these events. Either the movie's producer (or someone with a simil</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949833}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949833}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949833}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">ar viewpoint) is intentionally causing controversy to get more attention, or someone on the other side of the spectrum is looking for a good way to foment anger."</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Buck: "@Buck's friend I was about to sarcastically point out that you are not Muslim, so of course you are not that offended. But on the flip side I remember watching the movie "Paul" with you</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">, and I felt you had a perfectly rational reaction to being offended by a movie that clearly denegrated (sic) your faith. You were offended and you said so. Done. No one died. Kudos."</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4950136}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4950136}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4950136}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4950136}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0].[0]">Me: "What other kind of voice does someone halfway across the world from America have other than to protest? How else can they say, 'hey, that's not cool, don't denigrate my faith' whe</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4950136}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4950136}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4950136}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">n they're in Libya or Egypt or Sudan to people in America? And yes, I agree, the movie's producer is intentionally causing controversy to get attention. That's how the the radical pro-Zionist movement rolls. I don't agree that people over here are looking for a reason to 'hate America'. As someone who lives on this side of the world I find it to be quite the opposite.</span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[63].[1][2][1]{comment4327410340134_4949837}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]">"</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent">Buck did not get defriended because he did not advocate the killing of a thousand innocent people and was able to maintain an intellectual conversation on a viewpoint that I happened not to agree with him however, he respected my opinion and did not wildly offend me. Way to conversate open-mindedly, Buck.</span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="userContent">Am I overreacting? What do you think about </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63406584}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405786}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405786}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405786}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405227}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405227}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405227}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63405025}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]"></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404547}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]"></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404509}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]"></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404249}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63404185}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[0]"></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403818}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]..[3]..[0]"></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][2][1]{comment4486113309473_63403439}..[1]..[1]..[0].[2]."></span></span><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"></span></span></span>the protests? Is this a valid way to demonstrate your unhappiness with a provocative situation, peacefully of course? Why should they not be allowed to express their displeasure with this intentionally offensive film? </div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">I believe the film was created with every intention of riling up people and eliciting this exact reaction. The moviemakers counted on a few crazies to come out and overreact. They are promoting an anti-Islam agenda to get Americans to hate a few countries that believe differently than them. No wonder so many Americans are so paranoid that these countries are anti-American, it's because they are anti-(Fill In The Blank Country) and assume these countries reciprocate the negative feelings. People become anti-Libyan, anti-Egyptian, anti-Sudanese, without knowing more about the actual people in these countries than their religion and a few pictures in a newscast. This is how hate spreads. The anti-American rhetoric spread after the invasion of Iraq because people didn't know anything about America other than our foreign policy meant killing their families and loved ones. </div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">What do you think? Am I not angry enough over the deaths of 4 Americans working for their country and promoting relations with Libya? Of course I think it's a terrible tragedy, but I'm not going to misplace my anger on thousands of Libyans that don't agree with the few extremists acting in the name of all Libyans. </div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">Tell me.</div></div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com3Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-63578472001181980262012-09-12T01:07:00.001+05:302012-09-12T01:07:35.184+05:30Burned into our memory: 9/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While I'm not in the US being inundated with 9/11 coverage my facebook feed has not escaped. It's not that I don't recall this day eleven years with sorrow for those who lost loved ones in the senseless attacks as well as those families who lost sons and daughters in its aftermath with the ensuing wars, it's just that I wish that people would recognize that this tragic assault on unsuspecting America changed the lives of many not only living in the US but around the world. <br />
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A friend's facebook post got me thinking more about how Americans recall this event: "Eleven years later, I remember each detail like it was yesterday and eleven years later I still cannot find the words." While I can relate to this statement on many levels, <a href="http://pinky778.blogspot.com/2011/09/where-were-you-when-yet-another-911.html" target="_blank">I myself recall precisely where I was when I heard the news</a>; I wonder about the people who live through more systematic violence that interrupts their life on a daily basis recount events. As someone who has to ask survivors of violence and torture regularly about the problems they and their families have endured I am curious how they are able to find the words to reconstruct these similarly terrible events. Human resilience amazes me. Sometimes they have crystal clear memories of the day(s) in question and others cannot bring themselves to revisit, much less restate, the tragedies. The mind is a funny thing. <br />
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What do you remember about that day? Is 9-11 a crystal clear picture in your mind of where you were and what you were doing or is it hazy and hard to recollect?</div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-42243571708692656342012-09-03T23:11:00.001+05:302012-11-12T02:41:26.909+05:30Healthy pasta? Sure, why not?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I eat a LOT of pasta. I love <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6962483277780215231&postID=4414318819565369770" target="_blank">Mediterraneo </a>and frequently walk around the corner to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6962483277780215231&postID=6469741820609150486" target="_blank">Osteria </a>for some pasta, but is there such thing as healthy pasta? Probably, but I don't know it. Since I'm on this health kick, I thought I'd try to whip up something with a lot less calories than my cream based love, Alfredo sauce. I found a <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/marinara-sauce-ii/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=marinara%20sauce&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe" target="_blank">marinara sauce recipe</a> online and figured I'd give it a shot and will hopefully have something fabulous and healthy to take for lunch tomorrow. I actually found multiple recipes online but this looked the simplest and took the least amount of time. Again, I'm eyeballing the figures; it worked the last time....<br />
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4 tablespoons olive oil<br />
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Somehow we have plenty of that. Random since all the guys eat is Indian food.<br />
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4 cloves garlic, minced<br />
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Minced, I'm assuming is a lot like chopped. However I'm picturing beef and have no clue how minced garlic would look. I can't imagine whatever the difference is will actually matter once I get them sauteed. And yes, I know what saute is. (So I was just informed what mincing is by our house guest, thanks Elliot! He says it's the smallest you can chop it. "Mince is like mush." Ok, then, I can probably manage that; I might chop off a finger tip but it's marinara, no one will ever notice a little blood.) [Hmmm, so I wouldn't call it mush, but it's smaller than I normally chop and I might get carpal tunnal if I keep it up so I'm going to call it good.] <br />
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1 small onion, chopped<br />
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes<br />
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So I don't have a can of these. Y'know, because I have the real things. Apparently that's about 2 lbs, again, does not help as I have absolutely no way to measure or weigh anything. Someone else says about 3.5 cups. Oh! And someone else says about 6; I guess I'll go with that. <br />
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3 teaspoons dried basil leaves<br />
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Um, I think I'm going to have to go with the Mixed Herbs in the cabinet for that.<br />
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1 teaspoon white sugar<br />
<br />
Since there's no real white sugar that I've ever seen in Kenya (is it bleached in the US?) I'll use the regular stuff that looks a lot like a light brown sugar but is less sticky and sweet than real brown sugar.<br />
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Salt and pepper to taste<br />
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Maybe I should let someone else do the tasting. I'm prone to overdo both of those....<br />
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Ok so just noticed there is supposed to be another 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes too. <br />
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And we're sauteing. Love the smell of garlic! Um so, this peeling thing. Apparently you can stick the tomatoes in boiling water and take them out and the peels come right off. That sounds like a whole lot of effort. And as I'm not actually against tomatoes with peels I think we're going to skip that one. Crushing fresh tomatoes is a bit more difficult than I would have imagined. I blame the plastic crusher thingie-a-ma-jig. I've taken to chopping them and putting them in a pot to cook before I add them to the rest of the recipe. Ahhhh, so much easier to smash now!<br />
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<span class="plaincharacterwrap break">In a skillet over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in the olive oil; about 10 minutes. Break apart the whole tomatoes with your hands and add to the pan along with the crushed tomatoes, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.</span><br />
<span class="plaincharacterwrap break"><br />
T</span><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">he sauce is simmering and the pasta is sitting in water that might boil eventually. I was told that "it smelled good" so I guess that's promising. </span><br />
<span class="plaincharacterwrap break"><br />
</span> <span class="plaincharacterwrap break"></span><br />
<span class="plaincharacterwrap break">So it took me a *little* longer than the allotted 35 minutes but in my defense I didn't pour tomatoes out of cans either. And, Curry Delight's roommate declared it "good, just what he wanted...yesterday." Oh well, he is a creature of habit and his craving did inspire me into creation mode anyhow. </span></div>
Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com0Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-81912428016564087752012-08-30T23:53:00.000+05:302012-08-30T23:53:55.687+05:30And the adventure continues...in cooking that is<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's really less so an adventure and a need to not eat ugali and stew once again. It's not the healthiest of options and while I love some Kenyan foods ugali is definitely not their claim to fame; it's a mixture of flour and water and bland. <br />
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Today I scavenged through the pantry and decided to make a tuna salad. There were some chopped peppers and a few slices of cucumbers left over and so I tossed those in with some chopped tomato, onion, garlic, and coriander. Hopefully it will suffice for lunch tomorrow. Save me from myself and give me some suggestions for more exciting *healthy* meal options! <br />
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And if you have some ideas for easy to make appetizers, do tell. I am hosting a small home party for one of my favorite non-profits here in Nairobi in a few weeks and would like to serve some homemade bitings with drinks. </div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-73158481920364743552012-08-26T20:35:00.003+05:302012-08-26T20:39:19.260+05:30How to find a job in "Africa"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So I recently received an email from a friend of a friend asking what they could do to become an attractive prospective employee for potential NGO employers in Africa. While I am by no means an expert on the topic as I have only had 3 positions here and have been here a little less than 3 years, I offered this advice:<br />
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1. Research "Africa" and decide what region and field is the best fit for you. Nairobi is not the jungle and Mali is a desert.<br />
2. Figure out what unique skills you bring to the field that are less readily available in the local employment market. Just because you are an expat does not mean you are better suited for a job than national staff.<br />
3. Get a Masters degree. In my experience I don't think it matters which field it is in, unless you want to work in a very technical field. There are a ton of great programs on development; including some at universities across Africa.<br />
4. Network, network, network. Every job I have ever gotten, stateside or in Kenya, have been through networking.<br />
5. If you don't have international experience, get some. Take a leave of absence from your current job and volunteer or intern for an organization in your chosen field. Who knows, maybe they'll offer you a job at the end of your stay.<br />
6. Apply for anything and everything you see posted even if you don't think you are qualified. Sometimes agencies are willing to trade one set of experience for another if they are interested in you. <br />
7. Be open to short-term opportunities. While it is commonplace to have a long term position at an agency in the US and other western nations, in African countries you are more likely to be offered short term contracts that might be extended after an initial few month stint. <br />
8. Manage your salary expectations. Typically you will not get a high paying offer for your first role at a NGO, especially if you're looking to work in the field or with a grassroots organization. Cost of living is less in most cities (there are exceptions: Juba, Kinshasa, and Lagos, to name a few) and you can survive with a relative high standard of living on much less than you would expect.<br />
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Fellow expats, what advice would you give?</div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com2Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-71647992796807109032012-08-26T18:01:00.002+05:302012-08-26T18:03:40.123+05:30Diet cooking is for the birds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">In an attempt to lose some of the weight that I've put on traveling over the last 6-8 months I'm back to my standby Scarsdale Diet since apparently having regular bouts of Harvey (my imaginary intestinal worm) hasn't kept off the weight. While I was hopeful the weight gain and other symptoms could be explained away by a potential thyroid problem I was depressed to learn that, in fact, my thyroid is working perfectly. Therefore, evidently my weight gain is just a symptom of being in my 30s.<br />
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So, back to Scarsdale I go. Yes, there are some off the wall remarks in the book that one should ignore about women and PMS; keep in mind it WAS written in the '70s. However, as the overall diet is healthy and simple to stick to in theory, I am going to start the 2 week trial once again since my daily diet of home cooked Indian food is thickening under my belt. I even contemplated buying a cute new apron at Amani ya Juu yesterday to begin the quest.<br />
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Today I figured I would start with something simple, like a fresh garden salad. With no dressing in the house and just me and my clumsy fingers for chopping, I think it's going to be more difficult than it sounds.<br />
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I've got some eggs boiling and some onion, tomatoes, green peepers, cucumbers, and cauliflower ready to chop, and the most important ingredient, lettuce, or as Curry calls it, "that leafy green stuff". Apparently it is not a staple in the Indian diet. I also found one of these in the fridge. Can someone please tell me what on earth this is? Curry said it's "a vegetable in the cauliflower family." Helpful. In my opinion it looks absolutely nothing like a cauliflower so I'm left still bewildered.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgMlX9coWuWXREQsQimSnvbD_ZNivrL-XP0rAmK25mNIdlM3ycu4F0jKACYjL4dcmN7RzDMGrqbWiR5fS32xUiXvwqe4Kbco9xxlWJ24ce8UB8qT8qEZAbkb73d9qH7Q6lAEaNVtm_ASD/s1600/purple+veg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgMlX9coWuWXREQsQimSnvbD_ZNivrL-XP0rAmK25mNIdlM3ycu4F0jKACYjL4dcmN7RzDMGrqbWiR5fS32xUiXvwqe4Kbco9xxlWJ24ce8UB8qT8qEZAbkb73d9qH7Q6lAEaNVtm_ASD/s320/purple+veg.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://razorfamilyfarms.com/gardening/purple-vegetables/" target="_blank">What on earth is this thing?</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>On to the dressing. I have some Ranch powder I brought back from the States, but as it is mayo-based I thought I could do with something a bit more healthy. I found this recipe in the book: <br />
<br />
<b>Vinaigrette Dressing </b><br />
1/2 cup red wine vinegar<br />
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Well Houston, we already have a problem. While Curry Delight's kitchen is far better stocked than my own there is only white wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. I'm sure one of those will work?<br />
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Ok, so per an article on <a href="http://www.buzzle.com/articles/red-wine-vinegar-substitute.html" target="_blank">Red Wine Vinegar Substitute in Cooking</a><b><u></u></b>:<br />
"You can safely substitute red wine for certain recipes that demand red wine vinegar. The acidic properties of red wine vinegar are due to the work of bacteria called acitobacter, during the process of fermentation. Red wine can be substituted for vinaigrette and marinade recipes. However, salad dressing may not emulsify if you do not add vinegar to it. In that case, a small amount of whisked mustard can prevent the salad dressing from breaking." Yeah, so while I have some red wine sitting around, the following paragraph says, "Red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar are interchangeable in most recipes"so I think I'm going to go try that rather than risk this de-emulsification situation. Plus, I may need that red wine to drink by the time this cooking session is complete.<br />
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2 teaspoons grated onion<br />
2 teaspoons chopped parsley<br />
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I'm pretty sure coriander and parsley are the same-ish and thanks to Curry's cook, Emily, I have a whole container of nicely chopped coriander ready to go.<br />
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2 teaspoons chopped pimiento<br />
<br />
Substitute red pepper. And we have none of that either. I think I'm going to risk it and just make it sans pimiento or pepper. I have green pepper in the salad. It's kinda the same, right? <br />
<br />
1 tablespoon chopped pickle or capers<br />
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Success! There is plenty of capers and various pickle jars. We have green chili pickles, carrot and chili pickles, and mango pickles. I think I'll go with the capers.<br />
<br />
1 tablespoon water<br />
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />
Salt and paprika to taste<br />
1/2 clove crushed garlic (optional)<br />
Shake all ingredients together in a jar or bottle with a tight top. Keep chilled.<br />
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This sounds do-able. Maybe. <br />
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Ok, so I found an empty Talisker Scotch bottle that should do but there are NO funnels or measuring cups. Seriously. What kind of kitchen is this? I at least found a plastic strainer with a spout on the end that should work as a funnel. I guess I'm going to have to eyeball the rest.<br />
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Task complete! So it took me some time, but I have enough salad for a late lunch and to take to work for lunch tomorrow. The dressing is tangy but definitely edible, the most important factor. Now to figure out what to make for dinner. I think I might be eating quite late at this speed. However, I did just discover some frozen smoked tuna; perhaps I'll give that a shot. Wish me luck!</div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-76678692085804643692012-08-25T19:22:00.001+05:302012-08-25T20:06:57.444+05:30Rediscovering Kenya<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I know I've been completely lame this year about blogging and I could use my hectic travel schedule as an excuse but I've been seconded to UNHCR Nairobi for a good month and a half now and I'm not doing any better on the writing front. Granted they are definitely keeping me busy and while I'm happy to be in the same city as my friends for an extended period of time there is definitely not as much free time as one would expect. Not that I'm complaining; I actually enjoy having work to do in the office and am not upset that this means a bit of after hours work during my weeknights and weekends.<br />
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That said, I think Nairobi has lost a bit of it's shine too, giving me less to write about as I am not one to use my blog as a ventfest. While yes, I could write about the daily grind of matatu chicken and the guessing game of constantly changing roads, that's not really my style. Therefore my goal is to try to reclaim that happy shiny feeling that Kenya gives so many people. Granted, most of those people live in a bubble that doesn't involve torture stories and revolves around expat-centric Westlands or Gigiri, but still; I know the shininess is there, lurking somewhere just beneath the surface, and I'm determined to find it again.<br />
<br />
Step one: I went to <a href="http://www.castleforestlodge.com/" target="_blank">Castle Forest Lodge</a>, a colonial weekend retreat near Mount Kenya, where elephants are known to traipse through the forest and past the bandas in the evenings. It was scenic and relaxing. I spent most of my time lounging by the fire reading and catching up with friends. Then we spent Sunday in Nyeri getting massaged and relaxing in the steam room and sauna at Green Spa. The sheen has brightened a bit.</div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-78255855536984388622012-08-10T01:39:00.002+05:302012-08-26T20:40:26.399+05:30What to do in a power outage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Well, first off, get an apartment that has a generator. Or if you're Curry Delight, invest in a lot of rechargeable battery lamps and candles and let the good times roll.<br />
<br />
1. Make sure your laptop battery is charged so even if you can't access the wireless you can plug up your dongle for some internet fun. Or you can get a couple of hours of movie/tv watching in, depending on how long your computer battery lasts.<br />
<br />
2. Keep a fully stocked bar. Nothing says power outage like drinking a bottle of white wine before it gets warm or having a couple of glasses of scotch on the rocks before the ice melts.<br />
<br />
3. If you're already in the shower, pray that your hot water heater pre-heats the tank and isn't heating the water as it comes out the tap. Doing your make up in the mirror by candle light makes you a better person. Did I mention the perks of a fully stocked bar?<br />
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4. Keep a plethora of books on hand. Flashback to childhood and read under your blanket with a flashlight after lights out. <br />
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5. Order in. Dinner under the stars is romantic and a much safer option than attempting to cook on the gas top stove in the dark. <br />
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6. Board games! I've yet to convince anyone to join in the fun with me. I think my cardboard Kenyan Monopoly doesn't necessarily transcend the cultural divide with Curry Delight. He just looks at me like I'm crazy when I point out that the backside is also a chess board. Woo.<br />
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7. Tough it out at your favorite bar when the goin gets rough. Hellllllo, <a href="http://nairobinightlife.blogspot.com/2011/01/brew-bistro-revisited.html" target="_blank">Brew Bistro</a>!<br />
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What fun things do you do when the lights go out? As in good, clean fun, people. </div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-17854315158521100542012-07-04T17:12:00.000+05:302012-07-04T17:12:52.922+05:30Things I Am Grateful For: Freedom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While I don't actually live in the US of A at the moment, I am still grateful for what the passport I carry means for me. Today I am grateful for freedom and the American servicemen and women who have fought and died for our country so we can live free of oppression and tyranny. I am grateful that I have the freedom of speech and the right to speak out against unconstitutional policies or unfair laws without fear of reprisal from the government. I am grateful for the freedom of movement and the ability to legally move with in and with out of the country. I am grateful for taxation with representation. I may not always agree with the stances of our elected officials but I am grateful that I have the right to vote for or against them without fear of retribution. I am grateful for taxes that build our country and boost our social and political systems.<br />
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Today also reminds me that not everyone in the world is so lucky. I believe my colleague said it best in her facebook status today; "Freeeeeeeeeeedooooooooom! Freedom from persecution...that is the foundation of my great nation. Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans and especially to all the recently resettled refugees who have a chance to start a new life like our forefathers did...." I am grateful that my country recognizes that not everyone is as lucky as those born in the US and remembers that the country's foundation was built on refugees and immigrants and that the government continues to accept the huddled masses en masse. <br />
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What does Independence Day mean to you? What are you grateful for today?</div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-62232622325014374442012-06-21T00:16:00.006+05:302012-07-04T17:32:08.837+05:30World Refugee Day 2012: Refugees have no choice. You do.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes I forget that I live in a world where genocide, refugee camps, and poverty are commonplace and that many people glide through life never hearing a testimony of torture endured or never watching a perfect stranger break down in tears while recounting the day they watched their family massacred. This daily reminder of what type of world much of this planet's population lives in is wearing at times and I admit that I am just as guilty as the next development worker at dropping acronyms, acting shocked when people haven't heard of the latest genocide brewing in Kazwhatistan, and going on holidays to the first world feeling jaded and unable to fit back into the society that raised me. While sometimes I'd like to live in oblivion to the atrocities taking place throughout the globe (and I actually am quite oblivious on details of what's going on in really anywhere other than sub-Saharan Africa, don't even ask me about northern Africa for that matter), I have chosen the field I am in because it's fulfilling and even a small glimmer of hope is sometimes enough for survival.</span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While voluntary repatriation is not always so voluntary or even an option for many refugees whose countries are still in turmoil, local integration into their country of asylum isn't always the solution either. Kenya, for one, while it shoulders the burden of many more refugees than other nearby countries, also limits refugees' freedom of movement, limits access to higher education, and prevents refugees from legally working to supplement the small amount of aid they do receive. Refugees cannot legally live outside Kenya's camps without special permission and are not only harrassed by police if they risk leaving the camp to find a job, but also risk persecution by the local communities and the dangers associated with human trafficking. </span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Less than 1% of the world's refugees are resettled and many refugees live their entire lives in refugee camps or hiding from the law in their country of asylum.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hoghjn4P7SA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This music video was filmed in Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya</span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I know there are many debates about the benefits of resettlement and people are divided over whether refugees should be given the opportunity to move to a third country in an attempt to start a new life, but while you think about those very valid issues, consider <a href="http://www.swiftpage6.com/CampResource/2Y10R56DI4MDKDR8/1/text.pdf" target="_blank">this report</a> by Medecins Sans Frontieres about life in Dadaab, one of Kenya's refugee camps. It's not an easy life; refugees are forced to become completely dependent on a small amount of aid to ensure their family's survival.</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That said, today is <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/refugeeday/" target="_blank">World Refugee Day</a>. I know that the plight of refugees isn't everyone's fight, but I ask you to take a moment today to think about what your life would be like if you were forced to become a refugee. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What you would do if the shelter over your head and was taken away in a mortar shell bombing?</span></li>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
<li>What would you do if you were forced to flee the only home you've ever known because of a never-ending war you don't support? </li>
<li>What would you do if you had to walk/run/swim/boat/drive/fly to a new country where you don't speak the language? </li>
<li>What would you do if the place you fled to is no safer than the home you left and the local community despises you for your camp encroaching on their land and also harasses and attacks your family? </li>
<li>What would you do if you had no rights and no capability to feed or support your family? </li>
</span></ul></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ponder on these thoughts today. World Refugee Day Events throughout the US can be found <a href="http://www.worldrefugeeday.us/site/c.arKKI1MLIjI0E/b.8102747/k.6746/World_Refugee_Day_Events_in_the_USA.htm" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div></div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-54564367178796775952012-05-29T19:56:00.001+05:302012-05-29T19:59:59.154+05:30Arusha Weekend Away<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So as I mentioned in my previous <a href="http://pinky778.blogspot.com/2012/05/ngo-showcase-inherit-your-rights.html" target="_blank">post</a>, I went to Arusha this past weekend to visit my friend Jana. And in the interest of turning over a new leaf and actually staying on top of the blogging for all you peeps at home reading this here are some pictures. The day after I get back! Don't tell me, I know, I know, I'm awesome. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F104348770459295843435%2Falbumid%2F5747921758791900161%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCMbW-r30h_nP5AE%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div></div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Arusha, Tanzania-3.3666667 36.683333299999958-3.4309692000000003 36.61694329999996 -3.3023642 36.749723299999957tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-77545410208941575572012-05-29T13:28:00.000+05:302012-05-29T13:28:15.349+05:30NGO Showcase: Inherit Your Rights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">My friends are awesome; they are amazing, brilliant people doing incredible work all over the world. Unfortunately, for those of you who don't live in their corner of the world or know them personally, most people won't get to hear their stories. My goal is to change this. I am going to start a quasi-regular (you know how I am about posting regularly) series showcasing amazing women doing their small part to change lives. Of course I will mostly highlight friends and acquaintances but if you know of someone doing amazing work somewhere let me know! </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xN5E64Z3kPg/T8P62jPnphI/AAAAAAAACJk/Uwm_fkzbExQ/s1600/inherityourrights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xN5E64Z3kPg/T8P62jPnphI/AAAAAAAACJk/Uwm_fkzbExQ/s1600/inherityourrights.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.inherityourrights.org/" target="_blank">www.inherityourrights.org</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This past weekend I went to Arusha, Tanzania to visit one of my good pals, Jana Hardy. I met Jana in Kenya 2 years ago when she volunteered for a small NGO in Nairobi before she was scheduled to start an internship at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). When we met I was writing and researching my final papers for my MLS, one evaluating the causes of the Rwandan genocide and the other examining the effectiveness of international justice systems in cases of genocide. Clearly, we were destined to be friends. After 2 months in Nairobi she moved to Arusha where she spent some time before heading back to finish her law degree at Stanford. (Did I mention my friends are <i>smarty pants</i>!) In January 2011 she and her friend Katie founded <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inherit-Your-Rights/189986884404129" target="_blank">Inherit Your Rights</a> (IYR), an NGO aimed at bringing justice for Tanzanian widows who have been robbed of their land rights. </span></div><a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since Jana can tell you better than I can about what IYR is all about, I'm going to let her do the talking; here's a brief overview of the agency pulled from her website: </span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4aAcDRQ43FXK-Ea5siHjUE2hPgtPeCmCL4Qkir5d10YdJPaGGhgwVBXUw6kJ1QezZKfD4mgAZ2hZzoS-2yLAU422xwFuFSrZQfQARkhHeGiG8m3T78m8SBBFWOlehowhDlsfp1IXwEWn/s1600/widows+color+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4aAcDRQ43FXK-Ea5siHjUE2hPgtPeCmCL4Qkir5d10YdJPaGGhgwVBXUw6kJ1QezZKfD4mgAZ2hZzoS-2yLAU422xwFuFSrZQfQARkhHeGiG8m3T78m8SBBFWOlehowhDlsfp1IXwEWn/s320/widows+color+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.inherityourrights.org/home" target="_blank">Tanzanian widows working with IYR</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="en-GB"></span></i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="en-GB">Inherit Your Rights has initiated its pilot project in northern Tanzania, in a small village in the foothills of Mount Meru. </span>Through a local Pastor, we have met and started working with a group of 35 widows. We have acquired a plot of land here, where we can operate micro-enterprise projects to assist the women with their immediate needs, and where we hope to open a legal-aid clinic, focusing on probate and property law.<span lang="en-US" style="line-height: 110%;"><br />
<br />
In rural Tanzania, </span>widows are extremely vulnerable to abuse: under customary law, when a man dies, his wife inherits nothing, unless she is childless and there are no other living relatives. The man’s children are his rightful heirs. However, if the children are too young to assert their rights, the man’s family often takes advantage of the situation, and expels the widow and her children from the family land. These women, alone and with no means of supporting themselves or their children, need both legal representation and practical assistance. </i></span></blockquote><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The plight of widows in Tanzania, as well as many other parts of the developing world is appalling. I hear similar stories day in and day out from the refugees I interview. The 'lucky' ones are inherited by their husband's brothers while the unlucky ones may end up fleeing their homeland out of fear for their lives and those of their children. In many countries children are the property of the husband's family as well and if the mother is unwilling to relinquish custody they can be taken by force. </span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>IYR's vision is to build <b>Inherit Your Rights</b> into an effective vehicle to empower individuals to claim their property and inheritance rights, thereby strengthening their families and communities. IYR's approach is three-fold:</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Education</b></i></span><br />
<div></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>IYR seeks to work through a network of local leaders and pastors, to reach the widest possible population, educating leaders about:</i></span></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>property rights and inheritance law; and </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>how best to support widows in their area when they are faced with family pressure and abuse following the death of their husband. </i></span></li>
</ol><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Through education we aim to break the cycle of abuse for widows.<b></b><b></b></i></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Empowerment</b></i></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>IYR seeks to support widows in their immediate needs, empowering them through micro-enterprise projects that will provide them with a source of income to support themselves and their children.</i></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Representation</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>IYR seeks to provide legal assistance to widows who have suffered injustice. For too long, widows in Tanzania have been outside the protection of the law, with no hope and no access to justice. IYR seeks to put women at the centre of the law, assisting them to assert, exercise and defend their legal rights.</i></span></div></blockquote><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">While Jana and IYR focus their pilot project on empowering a group of 35 widows in the foothills of Mount Meru, you can play a part too:</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.inherityourrights.org/our-mission" target="_blank">Donate</a>: Just $20 buys a Tanzanian kuku (chicken) and a share in the coop while $100 can hire Tanzanian counsel for a day. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.inherityourrights.org/contact-us" target="_blank">Volunteer</a>: Donate your time and energy to the cause: intern or volunteer for IYR either in Tanzania or from the comfort of your very own home. Contact Jana about other opportunities in web design or a special project. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_875664275"><span id="goog_875664272"></span><span id="goog_875664273"></span></a><a href="http://www.inherityourrights.org/blog" target="_blank">Spread the word</a>: Read more about what IYR is working on and tell your friends. Talk it up, blog about it, <a href="http://stanfordlawyer.law.stanford.edu/2011/10/inherit-your-rights/" target="_blank">write an article</a>. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fundraise: Raise money doing something you love to help others. Have a car wash, <a href="http://www.inherityourrights.org/blog/runningforiyr" target="_blank">run a marathon</a>, be creative! </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UbaSsNZ0iczC0R7FxiDI9ZqyDuh_ULuuCjQF9osigktjHoK3rzKtWR195-tYV2UD8VzBK4ZC0E8eQ3mwLOgTet35-weqdtTjrYjxqdEVIIfqrGIhEI9q5JZ9AFoV8BzFyh3rxu_6aDi_/s1600/IYR_0031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UbaSsNZ0iczC0R7FxiDI9ZqyDuh_ULuuCjQF9osigktjHoK3rzKtWR195-tYV2UD8VzBK4ZC0E8eQ3mwLOgTet35-weqdtTjrYjxqdEVIIfqrGIhEI9q5JZ9AFoV8BzFyh3rxu_6aDi_/s320/IYR_0031.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Sumana Ravi</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.inherityourrights.org/blog/theladiesbeginmakingscards" target="_blank">Shop</a>: The ladies began making cards earlier this year and while I bought them out while visiting Jana (expect creative Christmas cards this year y'all!), from what I understand this is an ongoing income generating project that IYR works on with the ladies. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com2Arusha, Tanzania-3.3666667 36.683333299999958-3.4309692000000003 36.61694329999996 -3.3023642 36.749723299999957tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-32076623855184356062012-05-23T04:28:00.003+05:302012-05-23T05:18:35.098+05:30My Love Affair with the UK: The Liverpool Edition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While in the UK visiting my friend Meg, her hubby Cheerio, and their new addition baby midget last week we decided to hit up Liverpool, home of the Beatles and the International Slavery Museum. It was the latter that got me all excited for the trip. (I'm not crazy; I totally like the Beatles, but if you know me or have ever read my blog prior to today, you know my obsession with human rights drives me to do weird things like go on holiday to genocide sites and read about human rights abuses in my spare time.)<br />
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While I didn't get to visit the International Slavery Museum, (I blame the Queen) I did learn more about the history of slavery at the Museum of Liverpool. Pretty much Liverpool was part of the triangle of shame where the Brits sent goods to West Africa in return for slaves who were then sent to the States where the ships returned to Liverpool with goods produced by the slave labor. And they totally supported the South during the Civil War just to keep their source of cotton and tobacco flowing. (I still love you, UK, and your fascinating history, despite the atrocities you've committed throughout the modern world. We'll work through it.)<br />
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In other news, here are some pictures from the day:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-vtYnKcLGUh8zolJLZA2ztZpoSiYIVyuyPnCvDhfUiEev2MEpZbzPtUfO2txro8aW-79jhUMyyfB0L3bmvvfreDbuvStww5dU5A1qFZqNFhz4AhxrbqgXU7QowMkcnJkIFfiLnopNSTk/s1600/P1020479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-vtYnKcLGUh8zolJLZA2ztZpoSiYIVyuyPnCvDhfUiEev2MEpZbzPtUfO2txro8aW-79jhUMyyfB0L3bmvvfreDbuvStww5dU5A1qFZqNFhz4AhxrbqgXU7QowMkcnJkIFfiLnopNSTk/s320/P1020479.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is it with the Brits and their ferris wheels?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6x7opwYD0TAj_bhyWVm7v6FJA9gCjIpzh_RXsPgWiNvq6itgifBjvxkRD_Fb5bmS40kHSJzsSqvUa-4lB5gQUGKLCh4B9_LQioOQT65GxuZZgRO8ofpvM3SZLd29u7SwHDBQYoCMgvqD/s1600/P1020481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6x7opwYD0TAj_bhyWVm7v6FJA9gCjIpzh_RXsPgWiNvq6itgifBjvxkRD_Fb5bmS40kHSJzsSqvUa-4lB5gQUGKLCh4B9_LQioOQT65GxuZZgRO8ofpvM3SZLd29u7SwHDBQYoCMgvqD/s320/P1020481.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet old lass heard I was in Liverpool and popped by to welcome me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQb7jsQJ-ayLFLO5pF-lOSlV77Dl60awwllNbhSO-ETPvhGnTzCPYa6UVWdNPZyoUw-tsUYdqQXCyRIMIGaFCyHK-QMHXNFqO-o82sBPMVGIBrZPqR1B0L1jg-jDnaHDIqJ55BrkGM16f/s1600/P1020486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQb7jsQJ-ayLFLO5pF-lOSlV77Dl60awwllNbhSO-ETPvhGnTzCPYa6UVWdNPZyoUw-tsUYdqQXCyRIMIGaFCyHK-QMHXNFqO-o82sBPMVGIBrZPqR1B0L1jg-jDnaHDIqJ55BrkGM16f/s320/P1020486.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how Liverpool combines the old and the new architecture; it makes for great skylines.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B5CZJvjBHF7ZFpadNNTY-N0WcVL6A-0qyMm4EZfr5xgb5V3wWAJyRCCgeeNZ1U2ZEsLMtE5ZiC5lnKQj7NzrNo7rHfX8DagOMggwHL5WBfdHbM1NQ1sdLGllZ0q6yggMng7HrGEfZD2C/s1600/P1020506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B5CZJvjBHF7ZFpadNNTY-N0WcVL6A-0qyMm4EZfr5xgb5V3wWAJyRCCgeeNZ1U2ZEsLMtE5ZiC5lnKQj7NzrNo7rHfX8DagOMggwHL5WBfdHbM1NQ1sdLGllZ0q6yggMng7HrGEfZD2C/s320/P1020506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More of that good architecture stuff.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2W4n-8zAe2eK-eGYyDgCS9b8L1kfZXkPuZlY-a2cyZRhR3O7907gX1v-hFm2UUR8_R3-3OL8ycRS5NJdl8nYvhjfVHV8ZLElNesX_-Aru4uDCrkW0O3Ri3n7gUk6nArGP8uXs4NQj5yo/s1600/P1020494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2W4n-8zAe2eK-eGYyDgCS9b8L1kfZXkPuZlY-a2cyZRhR3O7907gX1v-hFm2UUR8_R3-3OL8ycRS5NJdl8nYvhjfVHV8ZLElNesX_-Aru4uDCrkW0O3Ri3n7gUk6nArGP8uXs4NQj5yo/s320/P1020494.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="hasCaption">The Lambananas of Liverpool. I hear that John Lennon is going to return on one....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJFbX79cOFBw8c8jJPamC33P0_hahgXuJaN3_7qKrti5198UnvQU_fQByEP-JAdir9TmiuKsDw3g1cb3c0xtpeQ9wV8l4zAU48_pp96JXeljlQ-f7T_Vufxs_pqLIbd7GYoIMG7tKa-G3/s1600/P1020498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJFbX79cOFBw8c8jJPamC33P0_hahgXuJaN3_7qKrti5198UnvQU_fQByEP-JAdir9TmiuKsDw3g1cb3c0xtpeQ9wV8l4zAU48_pp96JXeljlQ-f7T_Vufxs_pqLIbd7GYoIMG7tKa-G3/s320/P1020498.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Meg in front of some water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0om_EckZ-7S4_Ldbysq3wt9WAAXR6OMjK70k6z1wlPCr5WH_CuKxv8k9OsnE7SyttbveBTSl0-jUN_RJRllPILQc59g-fKqyVKHLj0Srs7Z7mIK-y8mCOtjtOF9jiZaTsNBYNI6TUAfN/s1600/P1020502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0om_EckZ-7S4_Ldbysq3wt9WAAXR6OMjK70k6z1wlPCr5WH_CuKxv8k9OsnE7SyttbveBTSl0-jUN_RJRllPILQc59g-fKqyVKHLj0Srs7Z7mIK-y8mCOtjtOF9jiZaTsNBYNI6TUAfN/s320/P1020502.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beatles: they're magical AND mysterious.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Liverpool, Merseyside, UK53.41154 -2.990115999999943653.322958500000006 -3.0887379999999438 53.5001215 -2.8914939999999434tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-6339691409295129092012-05-23T03:25:00.003+05:302012-05-23T03:29:42.179+05:30Uganda Captures LRA's Caesar Acellam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Ok so obviously I am against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in general and Joseph Kony specifically; he is a wanted ICC criminal after all, however, I am still not for <a href="http://www.kony2012.com/" target="_blank">Invisible Children's Kony 2012</a> publicity stunt (for many reasons that I won't detail here as it is off topic) or the most recent act of Ugandan troops "hiding in ambush at strategic crossings for two weeks [to capture]; Acellam...as he entered the Central African Republic." While I agree with the general idea behind Enough Project's article, <a href="http://www.enoughproject.org/blogs/making-most-capture-lra-caesar-acellam?link=1" target="_blank">Making the Most of the Capture of the LRA's Caesar Acellam</a> that we should look at the arrest of a high level LRA commander and decide how best to move forward from this point; I do not agree with commending the feat. Let's look at this from another perspective:<br />
<a name='more'></a><blockquote class="tr_bq">How is a group of Ugandan soldiers sitting in wait of a criminal to cross out of a country that they have no jurisdiction (Democratic Republic of Congo) into another country where they still have no jurisdiction (Central African Republic) and opening fire on civilians (Acellam was reportedly crossing the border with his wife, 3 year old child, and a maid in addition to rebels) a positive way to end this war? Yes, their country was terrorized for years by these madmen, but let's look at the big picture:</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">A) Nowhere does it say in this article that Ugandan forces had permission to be in CAR hunting LRA rebels. Maybe the Ugandan troops were working in company with CAR but maybe they weren't. How is this not a problem? CAR is a sovereign nation, and yes, this is Africa; countries here dance to their own drumbeat. But seriously people, you can't just send your troops to a neighboring country to stake out for war criminals because Its.Not.Your.Country. Enough Project even states as much in their 3rd point: "The troops pursuing Kony must be given full access to conduct cross-border operations to close this gap. A particular impediment, the Democratic Republic of Congo is currently off limits for the Ugandan army." </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">B) Ok, so supposedly the rebels fired first, maybe, or maybe that's just the story the military that's holding Acellam captive is saying. It has been said that Acellam might have been trying to surrender to UPDF (the Ugandan military) but again, if his plan was to surrender then why did 4 other rebels traveling with him open fire on UPDF and then escape across the river?</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">C) Why is it that the supposed best plan of action starts with; "The U.S., working with the Ugandan government and other partners, should take three swift steps to increase the immediate impact of the capture and to ensure that high-ranking and lower-ranking LRA fighters follow in the footsteps of Acellam." And continues in this vein with: "The solution to this situation requires the direct involvement of the Obama administration to pressure Kinshasa to allow the Ugandan army and military advisors into the LRA-affected areas in Congo." No. This is not America's fight; it's Africa's; it is Uganda's and South Sudan's and CAR's and DRC's war, not ours. Why is the US so arrogant to think that we need to stick our nose into Africa's business, did we not learn anything from the mal effects of colonialism? Send military advisors, sure, if requested, but this operation should be headed up by the people that the war affected not the US.</blockquote>So I am not an expert on peace negotiations so I won't comment in detail on Enough Project's ideas about how to make the most of this situation. I don't necessarily agree with them on face value but I don't know enough about military operations or brokering peace to know if these strategies would actually work. The guy did <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OZMIvHe8O0&feature=plcp" target="_blank">say that he isn't sorry for the atrocities he committed for the last 20 years</a> and you want to grant him amnesty? Maybe it works to capture the big whigs or maybe you just let a mass murderer take a walk. <br />
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Again, I am not against this criminal's capture or Uganda's fight against the LRA but I think if we don't stop to question how the results are being achieved then we could have bigger problems. The end does not justify the means. We cannot justify stooping to the criminals' level; we must work to achieve these accomplishments in accordance with international standards.<br />
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Leave a comment; let me know if you know more about this situation then I've been privy to and what you think about it. </div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-45206150267210601712012-05-22T15:16:00.002+05:302012-05-23T04:06:29.467+05:30Practicing Positivity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I love reading blogs; it's my version of reality television. Many of these blogs happen to be expat blogs because I like to hear about other places people live, why they moved there, and how they adjust to life in those places. One of my best friends writes such a <a href="http://ameringlish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog </a>which I love to read. It's about her life after moving to Manchester, England. I think she does a great job of giving her opinion without negativity. It's not always in favor of the UK but it doesn't ever make me feel like I'm reading a ventfest about how terrible things are there. <br />
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<a name='more'></a>It amazes me how many other bloggers complain about their lives and how terrible it is to live wherever it is they live. I know they probably think they are giving their readers at home perspective about how different things are in X country compared to home but in reality it comes across as whining about the place and culture of the location they *chose* to live. Because, you know, if it's so terrible, there are 195 other countries on earth you can move to that might be better. <br />
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Now, I've had my fair share of issues in Nairobi, but I try not to include them in my blog. I totally believe it's fair to vent but I think you should even that out with some perspective. Why do you live here, are there parts about it you *do* like? If not, then, as my friend Rose said yesterday (somewhat paraphrased), sometimes you need to listen to the signs and pack up and get the hell out: go home or anywhere but there. It is ok to be done with a place, you just need to realize it before it drags you down into constant negativity.<br />
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So, in the interest of perspective, I'm going to practice what I preach:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">The increase in daily crime in Nairobi drives me insane. Just yesterday I was in a taxi when another driver pulled up to warn us that there was a group of guys scoping out our car. My driver locked the doors and rolled up the windows and we proceeded without incident. Had we been in heavy traffic, this could have gone much differently, however. And I happened to be carrying a large amount of cash in order to make a large purchase which made me a bit more paranoid than usual. However, with as many security incidents that people close to me have endured, this is nothing, but it is indicative of an escalating problem in the city. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">On the flip side, while I am bothered by the increasing crime throughout Kenya, this happens everywhere. NYC is not safe either just because it's in the US. Italy is known for its petty crime such as purse snatching and pickpocketing. I like my job and my company requires me to be based in Nairobi. I also like being based in a city with some amenities like good food and spas. I like that I have a group of friends that I can hang out with when I'm in town. And since I travel for work so frequently the chances of having something happen to me while in Nairobi goes down. </blockquote>So what do you think? Are blogs somewhere people should be able to vent without perspective? Should a public forum act as a diary? If you were fed up with your life and living situation where would you move? I'm thinking Southwest Asia; I hear Malaysia is nice and safe. </div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.4321254 36.619968699999959 -1.1520064 37.023923699999955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-81450469661627805832012-05-02T12:38:00.003+05:302012-05-23T04:21:11.943+05:30This Is How I Roll<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just a few photos to catch you up on my goings on since I've been a slacker about updating the blog:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMv5KEZ5__VfLP0br7aNcDEux_u8CmcfIAq1bujXrj3DI3JLhzfQos0FjWcOkJW2LR37Fu9cR1YzIdgpq3O3jLjkva7JjbZ9PPadr8pjg54QjwAUJWr5D_yUx9yckEU_to-JDxyNrS2oF/s1600/P1020404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMv5KEZ5__VfLP0br7aNcDEux_u8CmcfIAq1bujXrj3DI3JLhzfQos0FjWcOkJW2LR37Fu9cR1YzIdgpq3O3jLjkva7JjbZ9PPadr8pjg54QjwAUJWr5D_yUx9yckEU_to-JDxyNrS2oF/s320/P1020404.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.29.12 Relaxing at Lake Bunyoni</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtzxtbLR03OXbaMTvP-dllndlbSPGe1WmyVz3Oo1AcIIfOaYVivcFqiGsjBspWulBVQyk085dhAd5Zer9yZL_LhD8m5sCUlGQXo8QpKspMf9eKHodDVl0A8YYqunpHLELpgUTFD9rPkO0/s1600/P1020379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtzxtbLR03OXbaMTvP-dllndlbSPGe1WmyVz3Oo1AcIIfOaYVivcFqiGsjBspWulBVQyk085dhAd5Zer9yZL_LhD8m5sCUlGQXo8QpKspMf9eKHodDVl0A8YYqunpHLELpgUTFD9rPkO0/s320/P1020379.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.12.12 Straddling the Equator</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOIOc5BW-eDo3W0uEpqpZA_XryTkNBY1F_dw9Nlm-wFycDKoi2HvSC36g9aaKvR7x_rEEq8Apk0xb0sLXhvvcgxuHvycdUvT7t9L2uYAOjVCmQErgTl8gt4HS5Kzj_M1CrFZU0r56wj8D/s1600/P1020371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOIOc5BW-eDo3W0uEpqpZA_XryTkNBY1F_dw9Nlm-wFycDKoi2HvSC36g9aaKvR7x_rEEq8Apk0xb0sLXhvvcgxuHvycdUvT7t9L2uYAOjVCmQErgTl8gt4HS5Kzj_M1CrFZU0r56wj8D/s320/P1020371.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.1.12- Blankets and Wine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMnkDeEiDSAaDEy5iayOAbksM_rZiOyx0ST6i6Wt9R6nwnEfoAAYZHyRbO_DvA7UvJqB1a2JXzaVF1K0RQzLXzJrExoQuppgfutyYBBmJVMu0XxDEcNUxcj3vTzrAUTlyz7yJL8J3gxjT/s1600/P1020350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMnkDeEiDSAaDEy5iayOAbksM_rZiOyx0ST6i6Wt9R6nwnEfoAAYZHyRbO_DvA7UvJqB1a2JXzaVF1K0RQzLXzJrExoQuppgfutyYBBmJVMu0XxDEcNUxcj3vTzrAUTlyz7yJL8J3gxjT/s320/P1020350.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3.18.12 Lake Turkana</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth5qKhRpAzLsKJ4JdIRo_h5aTp5dd84hKbvPS6eFfFARk-dR98erkLmnb_alMFwFtKeUreTmfCnVxnhYW9SoRql4D4Ngp194xQffNlMiddY_fBrbPc5Xy1x4ueyBruaClIsMKORaBxu6H/s1600/P1020281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth5qKhRpAzLsKJ4JdIRo_h5aTp5dd84hKbvPS6eFfFARk-dR98erkLmnb_alMFwFtKeUreTmfCnVxnhYW9SoRql4D4Ngp194xQffNlMiddY_fBrbPc5Xy1x4ueyBruaClIsMKORaBxu6H/s320/P1020281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Patty's Day 3.17.12- Beers and friends on a water tower in Kakuma</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGPSMbTXj_QrCFSANkzfcrD1O9N3FZo2sa-QntMVAKyyfU7Fxfdubzwc4ejvpsj4BMNFo1ZS7NfXRCJNzPG_c5g6XcfLPf6Gu1bOpyGyKXaKxPI26MVWiCZVnmVp4lD5xVhqqtUdW-rjC/s1600/P1020141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGPSMbTXj_QrCFSANkzfcrD1O9N3FZo2sa-QntMVAKyyfU7Fxfdubzwc4ejvpsj4BMNFo1ZS7NfXRCJNzPG_c5g6XcfLPf6Gu1bOpyGyKXaKxPI26MVWiCZVnmVp4lD5xVhqqtUdW-rjC/s320/P1020141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3.3.12- Weekend at Raha Mstarehe- View of the Ngong Hills</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNVN0x7AXUHDbxeD7G7akNKEMW9V943iGjxNOw-NxvShKPPiX0K7AB6ayGaoqq_88Wv6vGcM8a8wtZxSfle1YbSH3BPcwumFML93xRyhqUWPW9giS-ellXeZ3rdavQrScrtgNbsiAn_gF/s1600/P1020124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNVN0x7AXUHDbxeD7G7akNKEMW9V943iGjxNOw-NxvShKPPiX0K7AB6ayGaoqq_88Wv6vGcM8a8wtZxSfle1YbSH3BPcwumFML93xRyhqUWPW9giS-ellXeZ3rdavQrScrtgNbsiAn_gF/s320/P1020124.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2.11.12 Crusing the Congo River</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527921929731005812.post-13338411990681072142012-04-21T21:31:00.001+05:302012-05-23T05:06:44.517+05:30I Still Have All My Vital Organs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A week in my life: bed bugs, pharmacy hospitals, and IV drips. Aren't you jealous? <br />
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During my terribly exciting life of fanciful trips to exotic locales I recently got a terrible case of bed bugs or something that attacked my entire body and caused it to itch and swell up. I'm a sexy beast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-auELm2KRBwtCgL5DOil_-lF-bvbR4xAzt5oQYKBOcIYxuK4wiyMsCg6U7vKp477qsq6u2fu-bm7gMeQBXgL7ECv-49BUZwWcATnzozfqMGOYDRXWuso6PoecbV3CncDBAlOU7imo5TgG/s1600/P1020386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-auELm2KRBwtCgL5DOil_-lF-bvbR4xAzt5oQYKBOcIYxuK4wiyMsCg6U7vKp477qsq6u2fu-bm7gMeQBXgL7ECv-49BUZwWcATnzozfqMGOYDRXWuso6PoecbV3CncDBAlOU7imo5TgG/s320/P1020386.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It could be worse, you don't get to see my legs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The hotel, one that our office books regularly and who make a ton of money off of us, felt bad about the beastly bitten girl wandering around their premises scaring other clientele and offered to bring me a doctor for a little house call. Said doctor arrived and promptly determined he had no idea what the matter with me was but that I definitely needed an injection of hydrocortisone. <br />
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Since he was terribly busy with other pressing issues I was told to stop by his pharmacy at 6:30. Still feeling guilty for the horrible rash/bug attack I incurred at their hotel a staff member drove me over and kept an eye on my situation as it unfolded. <br />
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Once the doctor arrived he informed me that this would not just be an ordinary injection but I would need the medicine via an IV. He showed me to the back room of the pharmacy, immediately bringing to mind bathtubs full of ice and irrational fears of organ harvesting. (I imagine in actuality they hid me in the back so as not to alarm the other customers with the screams from the whitey as they came out me with a needle.) <br />
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As the good doctor hunted for a vein, complaining (to the girl with transparent skin and blue veins) that they're so hard to find in mzungus, he finally drew blood. Jokingly, I hope, he commented "Oh, your blood is red." I looked at him confused, "What color should it be?" Deadpan: "White." Ok, then.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRhku9E0nt0DpP6WH3dOaIFenFdx4zh9oH0Fo5Az6U8gR45gMIJSXRvU5i-YD2scmy6aDq6bHF6trF0FM9vLvU0SiWavsaxPqJL3QqNl2A2U5IelEbGk4h1FLEMsoxwTXV5CALMBWMDT1/s1600/P1020385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRhku9E0nt0DpP6WH3dOaIFenFdx4zh9oH0Fo5Az6U8gR45gMIJSXRvU5i-YD2scmy6aDq6bHF6trF0FM9vLvU0SiWavsaxPqJL3QqNl2A2U5IelEbGk4h1FLEMsoxwTXV5CALMBWMDT1/s320/P1020385.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That was super comfortable to sleep with.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had this lovely IV stuck in me for the next 12 hours as the doctor didn't trust the nurse to re-inject it into me the next morning for my follow up shot. Good news is, 4 days later, my arms no longer look quite so leperous and the refugees and interpreters are no longer cringing away from me in fear of contracting some communicable disease. </div>Hungry Expathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06034083212262692621noreply@blogger.com1Mbarara, Uganda-0.605675 30.64855-0.65348 30.5980815 -0.55787 30.6990185